Safety razor case



May 16, 1961 L. K. KUHNL ETAL 2,984,380

SAFETY-RAZOR CASE Filed Aug. 19, 1957 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 l 9 Z5 d6 INVENTORS May 16, 1961 L. K. KUHNL ETAL v 2,984,380

SAFETY RAZOR CASE MWh/fm' @E May 16, 1961 Filed Aug. 19, 1957 L.K.KUHNL ETAL SAFETY RAZOR CASE 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Jig/ WwW/VMM United States Patent SAFETY RAZOR CASE Leopold Karl Kuhnl, Stratford, Conn., and Martn Glaberson, Ardsley, N.Y., assignors to Eversliarp, Inc., New York, NX., a corporation of Delaware Filed Aug. 19, 1957, Ser. No. 678,963

Claims. (Cl. 220-31) This invention relates to article containers and is more particularly concerned with improvements in a container or case for a safety razor set, such as a safety razor, and a supply of blades enclosed in a dispensing magazine or package or other accessories.

It is a general object of the invention to provide a case for a safety razor set or the like which is attractive in appearance, which is convenient in use and which may be economically manufactured.

It is a more specific object of the invention to provide a case for a safety razor set which is particularly adapted to be manufactured wholly or partially of plastic resins with the cover being molded of a transparent plastic through which the contents of the case may be seen and with the bottom being in the form of a tray in which the razor and accessories are supported and being preferably formed of an opaque material which permits the use of a wide range of colors or harmonious combinations of colors which are visible through the cover.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a two part case for a safety razor set which comprises a traylike bottom member for receiving the razor and accessories and a cover member connected to the top margin of the bottom by a hinge arrangement which includes spring means urging the cover towards an open position to which it is automatically moved when freed for opening by the user so that the contents of the case are made conveniently accessible for removal.

It is another object of the invention to provide a case for the purpose described which comprises a tray-like bottom and a spring operated cover hingedly connected thereto, with a novel latch construction having interengaging latch members adapted to automatically latch the case when the cover is closed and to be released for opening the case merely by application of relatively light pressure on one of the latch members.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a case of the character described having hingedly connected tray-like bottom and cover members and novel hinge and latch elements which are arranged so that the cover will automatically spring to a wide open position in upstanding relation to the bottom member when the latch is released and wherein the cover member may be readily swung down into closed position with the cover being latched by the mere operation of closing it.

It is another object of the invention to provide a case for a safety razor and accessories which comprises a tray-like bottom and a cover of similar form connected along one side of the bottom by a hinge construction which comprises a pair of axially aligned hinge pins projecting from a pair of mounting ears on the cover and adapted to be seated in a pair of pin receiving socket formations in a side marginal portion of the bottom which socket formations have a downwardly directed open side through which the hinge pins may be readily moved into and out of seated relation, with the bottom and cover members having flange portions adjacent the hinge which are adapted to snap past each other during insertion and disengagement of the hinge pins in their sockets to permit ready assembly and disassembly, and a spring associated with the hinge which serves as a latch for holding the hinge pins snugly in position in their sockets and which is flexed by closing movement of the cover so that upon releasing a latch which is provided for holding the cover and bottom together the cover is automatically swung by the spring to its open position.

'lt is still another object of the invention to provide a case of the type described in which depending feet are provided on the bottom case member which are of wedgeshape formation and which are adapted to be snapped into cooperating apertures provided in a display card for supporting the case in a convenient manner for counter display or the like.

These and other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from a consideration of the preferred form of the case which is shown by way of illustration in the accompanying drawings wherein:

Figure l is a plan View, on an enlarged scale, of a case having embodied therein the principal features of the invention;

Figure 2 is a front elevation;

Figure 3 is a plan view with the cover in the wide open position;

Figure 4 is a cross section taken on the .line 4 4 of Figure l;

Figure 5 is a cross section taken on the line 5--5 of Figure l;

Figure 6 is a fragmentary cross section taken on the same plane as Figure 5 but with the cover in open position;

Figure 7 is a fragmentary cross section taken on the line 7-7 of Figure l;

Figure 8 is a rear elevation;

Figure 9 is a fragmentary section taken on the line 9-9 of Figure 8;

Figure 10 is a partial end elevation with the cover in open position;

Figure 1l is a fragmentary plan view, on an enlarged scale, showing the latch arrangement;

Figure l2 is a fragmentary front elevation showing the latch arrangement with the cover approaching the closed position;

Figure 13 is a plan view showing the case attached to a'display card; and

Figure 14 is a partial end elevation of a display card on which a plurality of cases are supported.

The case which is illustrated in the drawings cornprises a bottom member 10 of tray-like form and a cover member 11 which is of similar form and which is attached in inverted relation to the bottom 10 by a hinge construction 12 extending along one side thereof. The cover 11 is adapt-ed to be held in closed position on the bottom lil by a latch construction 13 which is arranged on the side of the case opposite the hinge 12. The bottom or tray section 12 of the case (Figures l to 5) comprises a bottom wall or iloor 14 and upright outwardly inclined front and back walls 15 and 16 which are connected at their ends by curved corner portions to upright, outwardly inclinedgend walls 17 and 18. The bottom wall 14 has a raised center platform or deck portion 19 which is provided with a recess 2t) at one end thereof for receiving the handle portion of a razoru indicated at 21, the latter having its head portion held against lateral movement by two upright, laterally spaced partition members 2v2 extending inwardly of the end wall 18 at the other end of the case. An upstanding partition form ing flange 23 on the deck 19 forms a rectangular compartment which is open at the rear side and which is adapted to receive a blade magazine or package 24. The

exposed portions of the platform 19 may be decorated by fluting, knurling or the like to enhance the appearance of the same. The upstanding side and end walls 15, 16, 17 and 18 terminate at their upper edges at an outwardly directed marginalflange formation 2S, the upper surface of which is inta planeforming the meeting plane between the bottom" and-cover members, except where it is interrupted by portions of the hinge formation 12 on the rear wall and the latch formation 13 on the front wall.

The lcover 11, which is of inverted tray-li te formation, has a top wall 26, which is bowed upwardly somewhat, downwardly and outwardly inclined front and rear walls 27 and 23" and end walls 29 and 35, connected thereto by rounded corner portions. The bottom edges of the walls 27, 28, 29 and 38`are in a common plane except for the hinge structure 12 along the rear wall and, when the case is closed, rest on the upwardly facing surface ofthe flange 25'on the bottom case member 16B.

The hinge structure 12which forms the hinge connection between the bottom and the cover 11 comprises a pair of hinge pins 31 and 32 extending from lug formations or ears 33 and 34 which are integral with the rear wall-28 of the cover 11 and which project downwardly and outwardly in the same direction as the wall 28. rfhe pin carrying ears 33 and 34 are longitudinally spaced and the pins 31 and 32 extend toward each other with their axes in a line coinciding with the line formed by the rear bottom edge of the rear wall 28. The wall is cut away at 35-and 35 between the pin supporting ears 33 and 34 and a spring engaging center lug or ear 36 which is shaped similar to the ears 31 and 32, and which extends downwardly and outwardly from the rear wail 28 in the same manner. The spring engaging center ear 35 is provided with a downwardly opening slot 37 which slot 37 extends vertically, as viewed in Figure 5, in the direction of the wall 28 but terminates short of the meeting plane of the bottom and cover and below and inside of the axes of the hinge pins 31 and 32.

The bottom section of the hinge structure 12 is formed on the rear wall 16 of the bottom case member 11 and comprises a longitudinally extending rib-like section 38 integral with the rear wall 16 and having its top surface in a plane 39 above the plane of the top surface of the ange on the meeting plane of the bottom and cover members. The hinge rib 38 is of rectangular cross section and its outer portions may be fluted or otherwise decorated. It extends a substantial distance along the back wall 16 of the bottom case member 18 and is provided at opposite ends with upwardly extending, downwardly opening, longitudinally aligned slots 4@ and 41 which form bearing sockets for receiving the hinge pins 31 and 32, respectiveiy. The pin carrying ears 33 and 34 straddle the rib section 38 when the pins 31 and 32 are seated in the sockets 4) and 41. The upper ends of the sockets 48 and'41 are shaped to receive the hinge pins in proper position so that the cover 11, when rotated about the same, swings on a hinge line which coincides with the rear edge of the rear wall 28 of the cover 11.

The rear wall 16 of the bottom case member 11i is cut away or recessed at the ends of the rib section 38 at 42 and 43 to accommodate the swinging movement of the pin carrying ears 33 and 34 and the latter are provided with inner abutment portions or surfaces 44 and 44 (Figures 3, 7, 8 and 9) which are adapted to abut against the vertical walls of the recesses 42 and 43 in the open position of the cover 11 and limit the opening movement of the cover -11 to an upright position as shown in Figures 3, 6 and 9. The portions of the flange 25 on the bottom 11 which extend along the ends of the wall 16 and which are indicated at 45 and 45 (Figures l and l0) are narrowed somewhat but are of sufficient width to extend outwardly slightly beyond the bottom edge of the rear wall 28 of the cover 11 when the cover 11 is in fully opened upright position as illustrated in Figure it), so as to retain the hinge pins31 and 32 in the sockets 4) and 41 while at the same time permitting the portions of the back wall 28 of the cover 11 which overlie the narrowed flange portions 45 and 45 to be sprung outwardly, as indicated by the dotted line in Figure 10, sufficiently to `clear the flange portions 4S and 45 and permit the cover 11 to be moved in a downward direction for disengagement of the pins 31 and 32Vfrom their sockets 40 and 41. In the assembly of the cover 11 with the bottom 1t), the end portions of the back wall 28 may be snapped past the flange portions 45 and 45 when the cover is moved in a vertical direction to insert the pins 31 and 32 in the sockets 40 and 41.

The rib formation 38 is provided at its center with an elongate downwardly extending upwardly opening recess 46 for accommodating an opening spring 47. Upwardly opening bearing socket formations 48 and 49 are provided at the ends of the recess 46 for receiving the end portions of the spring member 47, the latter comprising a straight length of spring wire. The spring member 47 is adapted to have its center portion engaged in the slot 37 in the ear 36 which extends into the recess 46 and the rib 38 is cut away at 51 to accommodate the turning movement of the spring engaging ear or lug 36. When the spring member 47 is positioned with its ends in the socket formations 48 and 49 and with its center portion engaged in the slot 37 and the cover 11 is in the open position (Figures 3 and 6), the spring member 47 is very nearly straight with its longitudinal axis on a line offset inwardly and upwardly relative to the axis of the hinge pins 31 and 32. When the cover 11 is swung to closed position, the spring member 47 is bowed downwardly and outwardly as shown in Figures 4, 5, 8 and 9. The spring member 47 is readily assembled with the other elements of the hinge structure by positioning its ends in the sockets 48 and 49 and swinging its center portion into the slot 37, a slight bowing of the center of the spring being required .to move it into the slot 37 in the center ear 36. The spring engaging ear 36 is also provided with an abutment surface 52 which is adapted to engage in abutting relation with the adjoining portion of the rear wall 16 at the insideof the recess S1 when the cover 11 is in the open position as in Figure 6. The abutment formation 52 on the ear 36 and the corresponding abutment formations 44 and 44 on the pin carrying ears 33 and 34 serve to limit the opening movement of the cover 11 to the upright position where it is urged by the inherent tendency of the spring 47 `to straighten out or to assume its normal substantially straight condition when the cover is released.

The latch formation 13 is formed on the meeting edges of the front walls 15 and 27 of the bottom and cover members 10 and 11, respectively. The flange 25 on the bottom 10' is widened out and slotted at 54 near the center of the front wall 15. The slot 54 extends a sucient distance along the front edge of the bottom 10 to set off a section 55 of the widened ange which is free to yield inwardly under light pressure. The yieldable flange section 55 is provided on its end with a latch button 56 in the form of a relatively short cylindrical section having its cylindrical axis extending in the direction transversely of the bottom 10 and approximately in the meeting plane of the bottom and cover members 10 and 11 or the upper surface of the flange 25. The ange section 55 also increases in thickness from a point beyond the end of the slot to the latch button 56 so that it has a tapered lower face as best seen in Figures 2 and l2. The button 56 is provided with a latch tongue 57 which is relatively thin or narrow and which extends from the peripheral surface of the button S6 in a vertical plane normal to the meeting plane of the bottom 10 and cover 11. The latch tongue 57 is provided with a downwardly facing abutment surface 58 which is adapted to interengage with a similar upwardly facing abutment surface 59 on a cooperating latch tongue 60 carried on the front wall 27 ofthe cover 11. The latch tongue 60 is supported in depending relation on a ange formation 61 of generally triangular longitudinal section in both the horizontal and vertical directions which extends outwardly from the bottom of the front wall 27 of the cover 11. The tongues 60 and 57 which are similar in shape are in a common vertical plane when the cover 11 is closed on the bottom but extend in opposite directions on opposite sides of the meeting plane of the bottom and cover members. The interengaging abutment surfaces 58 and 59 on the tongues 57 and 60 are approximately in the meeting plane of the bottom and cover when the cover is closed. The tongue supporting flange section 61 is cut away inside the tongue 69 to provide a recess 62` in longitudinal alignment with the slot 54 for clearing the tongue 57 when it is moved inwardly to release the tongue 60. The tongues 57 and 6ft have outer curved surfaces 63 and 64 extending from the abutment surfaces 58 and 59 which curved surfaces extend in opposite directions and are adapted to engage with each other and override each other as the cover is brought to closed position, there being sutlicient resiliency or yieldability in the hinge structure 12 to permit the necessary twisting movement of the cover 11 relative to the bottom of the case. The outer edge of the flange 25 on the bottom case member is cut away at 65 (Figures 3 and 5) to form an extension of the slot 54 and provide clearance for the portion of the tongue 60 which extends below the flange.

In order to close the case, all that is required is to move the cover member 11 downwardly towards the bottom member 10 about the hinge structure 12 and against the resistance of the spring 47 snapping the tongues 57 and 60 by each other to bring the latching abutment surfaces 5S and 59 into overlapping abutting relation. To open the case and make the contents accessible for use, all that is required is to press on the button 56 with suflicient pressure to move the tongue 57 laterally of the tongue 60 and free the latter for vertical movement permitting the cover 11 to swing about the hinge structure 12 under the straightening influence of the hinge spring 47. When the button S6 is pressed inwardly toward the front wall of the case to disengage the tongues 57 and 60 the ange section 55 flexes inwardly and also the adjacent portions of the front wall 15 with the degree of relative flexing of these elements depending upon flexibility of the material and the dimensions of the elements so that the operation may be varied, if desired, by changes in dimensions and materials to provide for flexing by the flange section only or the front Wall of the case only.

Special provision is made for attaching the case to a display card or panel in order to facilitate display of the case and its contents on a store counter or elsewhere. Referring to Figures 13 and 14, particularly, the bottom case member l@ is provided with four laterally and longitudinally spaced feet 70 depending from the bottom wall 14 of the bottom case member it). Each foot member 70 is rectangular in horizontal cross section with the longer side walls 71 in generally parallel vertical planes and with the short side walls 72 tapered upwardly and inwardly so that each foot has the shape of a truncated wedge with the smaller end secured to the wall 14. The display card or panel 73 is provided with spaced sets of four apertures 74 which have the same spacing relative to each other as the feet 71B on the case and which have a rectangular shape corresponding to the cross section of the feet 70 but with the length and width preferably somewhat smaller than the corresponding dimensions of the bottom surface of the feet 70. The cutting lines '75 defining the short sides of each aperture 74 are extended beyond the ends of the cutting lines 76 defining the long sides of the aperture and diverge at each side of the aperture to provide locking flap portions 77 and 7 8 which are adapted to bend or Hex somewhat when the foot 70 is forced through the aperture 74 and engage with the side walls 71 and 72 thereof.

The bottom case member 10 is formed to permit the escape of any moisture trapped in the case since a razor is frequently replaced in its case while still in a wet condition. Drainage holes 79 and 80 are provided in the bottom of the trough formed in the space between the edges of the raised panel 19 and the peripheral walls of the bottom case member 10. The holes '79 are located in the head receiving area at the one end of the bottom member and the holes 80 are located adjacent the four corners of the member so that all portions of the case are adequately drained or ventilated. The holes 80 may be conveniently formed at pposite sides of the feet 70 with the material from the holes being utilized in forming the feet 70.

We claim:

1. An article receiving case having a bottom tray member with front, side and rear walls and a cover member hingedly connected to the rear wall of said bottom member to swing about a horizontal axis, the hinged connection between said bottom member and said cover member comprising a pair of longitudinally spaced hinge supporting ears depending from the rear edge of said cover member, horizontally disposed hinge pins on said ears, and a spring engaging ear extending downwardly and forwardly of the axis of said hinge pins in the direction of the inside of said case, said spring engaging ear having a slot therein which opens downwardly when the cover is closed and which terminates at its inner end in a spring receiving socket spaced inwardly Arelative to said horizontal axis when the cover member is in open right angular relation to the tray member, a hinge forming section extending from the upper edge of the rear wall of said bottom member and having horizontally spaced downwardly opening bearing sockets for receiving said hinge pins, said rear wall section having a recess for receiving said spring engaging ear and a pair of aligned socket formations, a wire spring member having its ends seated in said socket formations and having an intermediate portion thereof seated in said slot so that in the open position of the cover said spring is substantially straight and in the closed position of the cover said spring is bowed downwardly and inwardly relative to said horizontal axis thereby biasing said cover member toward open position.

2. A case for a safety razor set, comprising a bottom tray member having front, side and rear walls, a cover member hinged to the rear wall of the tray member to swing about a horizontal axis, said cover member having a pair of ears extending downwardly of the rear wall thereof, a pair of hinge pins on said ears and a spring engaging ear depending from said rear Wall between said hinge pins with a portion thereof extending downwardly and forwardly of said horizontal axis in the direction of the inside of said case, said portion having a slot therein which opens downwardly and which is located in a plane parallel with and spaced inwardly of a vertical plane in which said horizontal axis is located when the cover member is closed on the tray member, the rear wall of the tray member having bearing slots for said hinge pins and a recess for accommodating said spring engaging ear, a wire spring member secured to said rear wall and having a portion seated in said slot so that in the open position of the cover said spring is substantially non-tensioned and in the closed position of the cover the portion of said spring seated in said slot is moved downwardly in a circular path relative to said horizontal axis thereby tensioning said spring and biasing said cover member toward open position.

3. An article receiving case having a bottom tray member with front, side and rear walls and a cover member hingedly connected to the rear wall for swinging movement about a horizontal axis, the hinged connection between said bottom member and said cover member comprising a pair of longitudinally spaced hinge supporting ears depending from the rear edge of said cover member,

axially aligned hinge pins on said ears, and a spring engaging ear extending downwardly ofthe axis of`said hinge pins in the direction of the inside of said case, said spring engaging ear having a longitudinally extending slot therein which is spaced inwardly of the hinge axis and opens downwardly when the cover is closed and which terminates at its inner end in a spring receiving socket spaced inwardly of the axis of said hinge pins when the cover member is in open right angular relation to the tray member, a hinge forming section extending outwardly and downwardly from the upper edge of the rear wall of 4said bottom member and having longitudinally spaced, downwardly opening bearing sockets for receiving said hinge pins, said rear wall section having a recess for receiving said spring engaging ear and a pair of upwardly opening aligned socket formations in the end walls dening said recess which socket formations are spaced from opposite sides of said spring engaging ear and axially aligned with the spring receiving socket in said spring engaging ear when the cover is in open position, a wire spring member having its ends seated in said socket formations and having an intermediate portion thereof seated in saidslot so that in the open position of the cover said spring is substantially straight and nontensioned and in the closed position of the cover said spring is bowed downwardly and inwardly relative to the axis of the hinge pins, thereby biasing said cover member toward open position.

4. A case for a safety razor set, comprising a bottom tray member having front, side and rear Walls, a cover member, means hinging the rear edge of said cover mem-V ber to the rear wall of the bottom member for swinging located in inwardly offset relation to the hinge axis in` all positions of the cover member, and an elongate substantially straight wire spring member having a portion thereof positioned in said spring receiving socket, said spring member having another portion thereof secured in said bottom member so that when said cover member is in open position said spring memberis substantially straight and extends in substantially non-tensioned condition generally parallel to the hinge axis and in inwardly and upwardly offset relation to said hinge axis, and when said cover member is in'closed positionV said spring member is bowed so that it is tensionedand the cover member is urged thereby `toward the openposition.

5. A case for a safety razor set, comprising abottom tray member having front, side and rear walls, a cover member hinged at its rear edge to the rear wall of said bottom member to swing about a horizontal axis, said cover member having a portion intermediate the ends of its rear edge which extends downwardly and forwardly of said horizontal axis, said portion having a slot therein which in the closed position of the cover opens down-- wardly and is located in a substantially vertical plane spaced forwardly of the vertical plane in which said horizontal axis is located, and an elongate wire spring member having its ends anchored relative to s aid bottom rear wall and having an intermediate portion seated in said slot so that said spring member is in straight, substantially non-tensioned condition when said cover member is in` open position, said spring being bowed downwardly and inwardly of said horizontal axis when said cover member is swung about said horizontal axis to a closed position thereby biasing said cover member toward open position. 

